


Ghosts Are Just as Real as You and Me

by musical_stan_first_human_later



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Anxiety, F/F, Gaslighting, Katherine Howard Needs A Hug, Minor Violence, Nightmares, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slut Shaming, The tags make it sound a lot worse than it is, anne boleyn needs a hug, body horror (only in the first chapter), catherine of aragon and jane seymour being mums, catherine of aragon needs a hug, everyone is making bad decisions, everyone really needs some support, henry viii is a trigger warning, the non-con stuff is only in the first chapter, trigger warnings are included at the beginning of every chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:26:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23533783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musical_stan_first_human_later/pseuds/musical_stan_first_human_later
Summary: "He's back. Henry's back."
Relationships: Anne Boleyn/Catherine Parr
Comments: 7
Kudos: 81





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Sexual Assault, Slut Shaming, Rape Mention, Body Horror/Gore, Anxiety Attacks, Gaslighting (wow this is a lot darker than I thought it was, I promise future fics won’t be this intense)

A scream echoed through the queens’ house before silence.

Heavy breathing started a few seconds later.

Then came the sobs, thick with distress and fear.

Staring up at the ceiling, unable to move, Katherine watched Henry Mannox stare down at her. He was hanging from the ceiling by a noose as his body swayed back and forth. His throat was thinner than it should have been, purple and crushed with the weight of his limp body below it. His eyes bulged out of their sockets but remained impassively fixed on Kit. His fingers were pale and bloated, and saliva was slipping from his open mouth.

Almost tauntingly, the drool was hanging above Kit’s paralyzed body, waiting to fall directly onto her face. 

Her body was frozen in place, no matter how much her mind screamed at her to move. Mannox’s mouth moved as he talked, but his voice came from directly inside Kit’s skull. _Hey Kitty Kat,_ he drawled, the drool swinging back and forth with his mouth. _Why are you all alone? Shouldn’t you have another man in bed with you? You were always quite the little slut_. Continuing to sob, Kit could only watch Mannox hang above her. _You left me hanging_ , he chuckled. _Look at me Katherine_ , Mannox said as if she could turn away, _you’re such a tease_. Kit wished she could yell at him, tell him to leave her alone. Nothing came out. _If you keep misbehaving, I’m going to have to punish you. Bad girls get punished. And you’re being a very bad girl._

The only sounds Kit could make were wails of fear as Mannox’s laughing came out as a guttural choking. His throat bobbed with each sound and his body convulsed from its suspended position. _You can’t escape me Kitty Kat. I need you. And I will have you, no matter where you hide. You belong to me._

The noose snapped and Mannox fell from the ceiling. Right as he landed on Kit, she jerked forward and went tumbling off her bed and onto the hardwood floor. Shaking with her entire body, Kit held her arms close to her chest and curled into a fetal position. The grisly image of Mannox above her was still embedded in her head. 

What could’ve been hours later, Kit resolved to stand up and check her bed. Standing up on shaky legs like a newborn deer, it took her a few tries to successfully get up. Closing her eyes and stepping up to the bed, the girl mentally prepared herself for anything. Ripping her eyes open and putting her arms up defensively, Kit looked at the bed.

It was empty, the only decoration being her sweat soaking through the top two layers of the sheets. Breathing out in relief, Kit collapsed back onto the bed. Inhaling, she was met with the smell of her cousin. Reveling in the smell for a moment, Kit felt calm. Then she furrowed her eyebrows and stood up. 

Anne usually came to check up on Kit during the night, but she was nowhere to be found. Furthermore, why had no one come to investigate her room when she screamed? The first night she had nightmares, Anna had burst into the room with fire in her eyes looking for an intruder, only to find Kit. She had stayed with her through the night, even when the other queens awoken by her distress returned to their rooms.

Sitting up but not leaving the bed, Kit called out, “Hello?” as if someone was going to respond to that. Sighing, Kit mentally berated herself for thinking that Anne would magically appear out of thin air. It still sent a small pang of hurt through her chest when none of the other queens responded. They’re probably asleep, it’s unfair of me to bother them, Kit reminded herself. They all had their own problems to deal with and she had no right to force them to take care of her. After all, Kit wasn’t some little girl who needed the queens. She could deal with Mannox on her own.

Even if… even if she still felt his breath against her neck. Still felt his hands on her waist. Still heard the sweet words. Still felt helpless.

Shutting her eyes tight, Kit started to mumble under her breath, “He’s not real, he’s not here, he’s not real, he’s not here -”. It became like a mantra, the words swirling together until her speech was almost incoherent. She stayed like this for a while, her brain unable to comprehend anything else. 

And then out of the blue came a knock at her door. Shooting up off the bed and racing towards the door, Kit pulled the door open and threw herself into the waiting arms of one of queens. She held the queen close to her and started crying into their shirt. A hand came up to stroke her hair, a large, familiar hand. Freezing at the movement, Kit’s breathing halted. The other hand came to wrap around Kit’s waist and grip her tightly.

Pulling her hair down roughly and forcing her to look up, Katherine made eye contact with Francis Dereham and his ungodly smirk. His slimy hands were on her body once more, and no matter how much she wanted to, there was nothing Kit could do. She tried to pull back, started thrashing in his arms, but he was bigger and stronger. She was no match for him.

Dragging her back to the bed, Dereham sat down and held Kit against his chest. She was kicking and crying, begging for him to release her, but it was almost as if he was deaf. _I’ve missed you Kitty_ , he whispered to her. Dereham’s tongue was completely black and he looked like death itself whilst speaking with it. _It’s a shame you had to move away. You didn’t come back to me. What was I supposed to do without my favorite whore?_ His words were just like Mannox’s, coming from within her own head, making it impossible for her to block them out.

 _Aw, there’s no need to cry_ , Dereham taunted, _we’ve got all the time in the world. And I plan to use every last second._

“No!” Kit cried, but it was too late. Dereham picked her up and twirled her around so that their faces were inches apart. Grabbing her cheeks, he angrily kissed her with his terrible, rough lips. It was unnatural, the way his lips felt like stone, crushing hers under their weight. He was an immovable object, but she was no unstoppable force. 

Putting her hands on his chest, Kit pushed at Dereham and squirmed, attempting anything to get out of his grip. Her mind was flashing with memories, reminders of a time before her second life. All the men who would do as Dereham was now. All the nights he would come into her room despite her telling him no. His lecherous desires.

As if she was suddenly gifted with super strength, Kit managed to push Dereham off of her and scramble back to the edge of the bed. Her head snapped up in fear of what he would do in his anger from her rejection, but was shocked to see her bed empty. Once again she was alone, accompanied only by the ringing in her ears.

 _Katherine_ , she heard, _Oh Katherine_. Whipping her head back and forth, Kit hugged herself in terror. Dereham may have disappeared, but his voice still echoed in her skull. Y _ou have no right to push me away. I’m the only one who will ever care for you, and you reject me?_

“Anne cares about me,” Kit said softly. And then louder, “Anne cares about me. And so do the other queens!” Dereham’s laugh was distorted and left Kit shivering, despite the stuffiness of her room that kept getting smaller and smaller.

 _None of them care about you_ , he hissed. Kit whimpered and bit her lip. Was he right? Of course… of course the queens cared about her. Right? She didn’t feel very convinced by her empty reassurances. _They pity you, but they don’t care. Anne only takes care of you because she’s trying to feel better about herself. Jane just wants to replace Edward, and you’re her only other option. The last choice. And Anna? She never cared, why would she? To her, you’re just a scared little child who keeps ruining her life. And don’t get me started on the other two Catherines. What is it they call you? The least relevant Katherine?_

By now, Kit was sobbing, digging her fingernails into her hands. She didn’t want to listen to his words, but she couldn’t bring herself to disregard them. It was true, after all. No one had ever cared about her. Not her father, not her step-grandmother, not even the queens. The only ones who were still here were the men who had held her unforgivingly, who had possessed her. Katherine hated how she found sick comfort in knowing that they were still here.

Slowly, an itching came over her skin. There was a hand in her hair. One around her waist. Another wrapping around her neck. Crawling up her leg. On her breasts, dipping lower and lower, on her face, pulling at her clothes, wanting more and more and more and more - 

Launching herself at the door, Kit ran down the hall in an attempt to get rid of the phantom hands. The sound of Dereham laughing still rang in her mind, but it was growing fainter the further she ran. Running up the steps to the attic, Kit continued to bat at the hands that she still felt on her body. Her hands kept moving through thin air, but the feeling of the cold, calloused grips wouldn’t fade.

Without a second thought, Kit practically tore Anne’s door off its hinges in her desperate bid to get inside. Rushing to her cousin’s sleeping form in her bed, Kit shook the other queen awake. “Annie, please, they’re here, I need you!”

Rolling over in the bed, Katherine came face to face with Thomas Culpeper instead of her cousin. The hands roaming her body froze as if they were just as shocked to see him as Kit was. There was a jagged red line circling his neck, thick with blood in the same place her own scar rested. When he smiled, his teeth were stained red with blood. The thick liquid was all over Anne’s bedsheets and they coated Culpeper’s clothing, the same courtier outfit Katherine was so familiar with. 

Backing away from Culpeper, Kit started to hyperventilate. “Not him,” she whispered to herself without realizing she was speaking out loud, “Anyone but him.” Despite how terrified she was of Mannox and Dereham, she would rather deal with them a hundred times over than face Thomas. He hadn’t said a word or moved from his spot, but already Katherine was thrust back in time to her memories of the past. 

His sweet words that she longed to hear. His loving embrace, open and friendly. Then his… Then his betrayal. His demanding hands. His lustful eyes. His insatiable desires. 

Katherine had been married to Henry, regardless of if she loved him or not. She didn’t see Thomas as a romance, as something more than just a friend. She only wanted to be his friend. What didn’t he get about that? When she told him to stop, why hadn’t he? She kept telling him she didn’t want it, she didn’t want him. Why did he have to have her? Why did they always want her?

In her daze of memories, Kit hadn’t noticed Culpeper standing up and moving to her frozen form next to the door. She was only jerked back into reality when she felt his hands start to roam her body. Squeaking, Kit tried to push him away, but Culpeper was insistent. There were no phantom hands this time, just his two.

 _It’s finally my turn_ , Culpeper growled, his voice chilling Kit deep into her heart. When he moved his mouth, blood came spewing out. Bits of it landed on her face, stinging like acid. _For a horny slut_ , he grunted, _you can be such prude. I never asked much of you, and you denied me of what I deserve. You have no right to disobey me, and you still try_. Kit grasped for the doorknob behind her, but it had mysteriously vanished.

Kit looked for any way to escape Culpeper but he had trapped her in between the door and his body. Even as she tried to block out his voice, she could still hear him louder than either Mannox or Dereham. He was like a megaphone in her head, leaving her rattled whenever he spoke. _Don’t you know you’re nothing more than a possession? You’re not worthy of being anything more than a toy. It’s foolish of you to pretend otherwise._

She shook her head, trying to deny his words. “You’re wrong. Annie says you’re wrong!”

 _No!_ Culpeper bellowed. _You still believe the words of someone like Anne Boleyn over mine? I am the only one who has loved you so fervently for all these years, and you turn to Anne Boleyn, a known liar? You never were smart my little Kitty, but I did think you would have enough sense not to trust that witch. If Anne actually cared about you, she’d be here right now._

Kit wanted to retort, to yell at Culpeper, but she didn’t know what she could say. She wanted him to stop. She still didn’t want him, even after almost 500 years. But he had never listened to her and she couldn’t find her voice. _The only person that’s here right now is me. I love you Katherine. You have no right to deny a man his pleasure. You keep denying us, but we know truly what you are._

 _A tease,_ Mannox spoke from the back of her skull.

 _Little slut_ , she heard Dereham floating around her brain.

 _Useless_ , Culpeper spit in her face.

Fading in from nowhere, Katherine felt the hands of Dereham and Mannox joining Culpeper’s. Mannox somehow came from behind her, his body pressed between hers and the wall. He was stroking her waist and stomach, his bloated fingers like needles against her skin. Dereham was at her side, once again playing with her hair, his pulling being as skilled as a master puppeteer. 

Culpeper forced Katherine’s eyes to look directly into his with a hand gripping her chin. _You will forever belong to us. So stop fighting_. With his bloody mouth, Culpeper leaned forward for a kiss, and Kit let out a gut wrenching scream before everything went black. 

* * *

Jerking forward in her bed, Kit glanced around for any sign of Mannox, Dereham, or Culpeper. Everything in her room was as she left it, and she was still as wrapped up in her sheets as she had been earlier that night. No intruders were in her head, the only voice being her own quiet, terrified one. She could still feel the phantom hands, albeit faintly, and there was no pain anywhere on her body. Kit sighed in some small amount of relief. However horrible it all had been, it was only a dream.

Looking up from the past the foot of the bed, Kit made eye contact with a figure standing over her bed. Freezing, Kit’s eyes widened as she realized who she was looking at. Imposingly tall and just as large as she remembered stood the illustrious King Henry VIII. He was wearing modern clothing and he looked a tad bit healthier than Kit remembered, but he still had the same unstable glint in his eye. A small smirk sat upon his face as he looked down at Katherine.

“Hello my rose without a thorn,” he said. “I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Henry VIII, Suffocation  
> Find me on tumblr, @musical-stan-first-human-later for my masterpost of fics!

It had to be a hallucination, just like with the others. That was the only explanation for it, after all. If Henry was really here, standing in front of Kit… she couldn’t bring herself to think about what it meant. His smirk was sick, the self righteous look of someone who knew they were going to win. “You’re not real,” she spit at him, curling up against the backboard of the bed. “Stop trying to ruin my life, you’re _dead_.”

The former king clicked his tongue condescendingly and moved around the side of the bed until he was leaning over Kit. “You used to be dead, I made sure of that,” Henry said, and Kit whimpered in response. “Yet here you are.”

“Stop,” Kit mumbled. She turned her gaze upwards to face Henry. “Stop!”

“I don’t think I will,” Henry replied, kneeling down next to Kit in the most patronizing way possible. “I’m not going to stop until your life is absolute Hell, not until you and my other wives suffer for everything you’ve done to me.” Kit kept trying to back up further in the bed, but Henry was right beside her. She couldn’t escape, not with his giant body blocking her in. “And you, Katherine Howard, are the perfect place to start.”

Henry stood up from his kneeling position, giving Kit the perfect opportunity to dart around his body and make a break for the door. Before she could get far, Henry’s hand wrapped around her shirt and dragged her back to the bed. She thrashed in his grip, but he was over twice her size. Opening her mouth, Kit tried to scream, hoping one of the other queens would burst in. Kit’s screaming was muffled by Henry grabbing her pillow and holding it tightly against her face. He started to suffocate her with the pillow, holding her body down as she frantically flailed her limbs.

Slowly, black started to creep into the corner of Kit’s vision, lulling her into an unsettling limbo. She tried to fight back, but the grips of darkness grabbed her and pulled her deeper and deeper into the land of unconsciousness. Her limbs grew heavy and her mind blacked out, silent under Henry’s grip. Kit was once again trapped in her own mind, this time free of the company of her demons.

* * *

When Kit came to, it was to her cousin Anne shaking her awake. “Kit, I know I shouldn’t be one to judge, but you’ve been in bed all day. If you don’t get up soon, Jane’s gonna throw a fit.” Blinking her eyes in confusion, Kit’s surroundings faded back into focus. Everything was completely normal, Anne sitting on the edge of her bed, an expectant look on her face.

Lurching forward, Kit wrapped her arms around Anne in a tight hug. “Annie, you’re okay!” she gasped, head buried in her cousin’s chest.

“Uh yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” she asked, a frown settling over her features. “Did you stay up late last night Kit? Or have a nightmare?”

“Yes but -”

“Kit you should’ve told one of us,” Anne exclaimed. She pulled Kit tighter against her chest and started to run a hand through her cousin’s hair. Kit couldn’t help but relax into Anne’s arms, feeling safe and protected.

She suddenly jerked forward as reality hit her once again. “Anne, you have to promise you’ll believe me, please.”

Obviously alarmed by Kit’s distress, Anne nodded immediately. “Of course, whatever it is.”

Kit’s eyes started gathering tears as she grabbed Anne’s hands in her own. “Really, promise you’ll believe me.”

“Kit, you’re starting to scare me -”

“Please!”

“Okay, I promise,” Anne said, growing worried with her cousin’s erratic behavior.

Biting her lip, Kit leaned back and dropped Anne’s hands. Her mouth started to form the words, but they wouldn’t come out. Anne patiently waited for Kit to speak while her worry silently grew. “It’s Henry. He’s back,” Kit finally got out.

Eyes widening, Anne inhaled quickly. Of all things she expected Kit to say, that was not on the list. Even as she had promised to believe Kit, Anne’s instinct was to tell Kit it was all a dream. She couldn’t process Kit’s words and it showed on her face. Kit started to panic when she saw Anne internally debate her words. “Anne, you believe me, right?”

As much as she hated it, Anne hesitated in responding. “Are you sure it wasn’t a dream?”

“I’m a hundred percent sure. Anne, I wouldn’t make this up!”

It was hard for Anne not to believe Kit with the absolute fear that rooted itself in the teen’s eyes. She looked like she had seen death itself with her shaking and glassy, far off look. “Okay, okay I believe you. It’s just… a lot to take in. Do you want me to go get one of the others?”

Kit nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. “Anna, can you get Anna?”

“Yeah, you got it Kit,” Anne agreed and got up from the bed. She left the room without taking her eyes off Kit. Once her cousin was out of her line of sight, Anne bolted to Anna’s room. She knocked on the door, trying to stay as calm as possible. For some reason, Kit’s distress had transferred to Anne, and she found herself starting to panic.

The door opened, a confused Anna on the other side. It was the middle of the afternoon, but by now most everyone had retreated to different rooms for some alone time. “What Boleyn?” Anna frowned at the queen in front of her. Sure, she wasn’t frustrated, more confused at why Anne was knocking on her door looking like she had run a marathon.

“It’s Kit.” 

That immediately caught Anna’s attention. “What’s wrong with Kit?’

The face Boleyn was making was distinct yet indescribable, a mix between worry and surprise. “She’s saying Henry’s back, and I think she might be right.” Anna didn’t need to hear anything else to be motivated. She pushed past Boleyn and made her way to Kit’s room at the other end of the hall. Boleyn didn’t try to follow, instead electing to gather the other queens and tell them what Kit had told her. 

It wasn’t hard to get Jane and Aragon, they were both in the living room (Aragon reading a news article and Jane watching some cooking show) but Cathy proved a more difficult task. She had barricaded herself in her room in order to write, but eventually Anne got her out and into the living room with the others. “Where are Kit and Anna?” Aragon asked when Anne finally plopped down on the couch.

“This is actually about Kit. Anna’s with her right now,” Anne explained.

Sitting up, Jane asked, “What is it? Is Kit okay?”

“I think so,” Anne answered, then cringed at her poor answer. “She must’ve had a really rough night. I don’t know why but… she’s convinced Henry is back. And with the way she’s acting, I believe her.”

* * *

Knocking on the door before she entered, Anna carefully peaked her way into the room. “Kit?” she asked, drawing the attention of the teen still on her bed.

Perking up, Kit smiled at Anna’s voice. “Anna!” she called, waving the German queen over. “Did… did Anne tell you?”

Cringing, Anna nodded and sat down next to Kit. “Just the basics. That you think Henry’s back.”

“I don’t think so,” Kit said defensively, “I know he’s back. He was here this morning.”

Anna frowned and put an arm over Kit’s shoulder. The younger queen accepted the affection, her shivering disappearing a little. “Why didn’t you call for one of us, we would’ve helped you.”

Twiddling her fingers, Kit shrugged. “I tried, but he used the pillow to keep me quiet. The next thing I knew, Anne was waking me up.”

Her body tensed up at Kit’s description, but Anna didn’t push it. She wanted to believe Kit, of course she did, but she didn’t want to believe that Henry was back. She would rather Kit be wrong on this than if she were right. Because if Kit was right… “Do you know why he was here?”

Kit nodded. “He said he wants to make us suffer. That he’s going to make our lives hell. Starting with me.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Mentions of Henry VIII

“So why is he going after Kit?” Jane asked protectively once Anna joined the group. She had helped Kit get into a bath earlier to help herself relax, and now she was with the other four queens as they discussed Kit’s claims.

“Isn’t it obvious? Henry can’t beat us by brute force like he’s used to, so he’s going for the next best thing,” Cathy explained. At the confused looks of the other queens, she clarified, “Okay, imagine you’re trying to break a board in half.” The other queens nodded. “Are you going to try and break it where the wood is the thickest or where the wood has already started to bend?”

“Where it’s starting to bend, obviously,” Anne answered.

It was Aragon who processed Cathy’s words first. “He knows Kit’s the most vulnerable, so he’s targeting her first. Going after the weakest link.”

Anne stood up in frustration and accused, “Are you calling my cousin weak?”

“No Anne,” Aragon said, “but Henry is. And he’s going to poke at all her wounds until she inevitably breaks.”

Jane cut in, voicing her own concerns. “But Anna said Henry’s also planning to come after all of us. When do you think he’ll make a move?”

“Henry’s all talk,” Anne spit. “I wouldn’t believe any of his threats. We probably won’t hear from him until he thinks he has the upper hand.”

It was Cathy who shook her head. “I don’t know Anne, Henry might have been planning this for longer than we think. He could be ten steps ahead without us having any idea about it.”

“That’s not a comforting thought,” Aragon chimed in.

Anna had her head down, unable to contribute to the conversation. She knew that out of all of them, she mattered the least to Henry. In fact, they actually had a pretty good relationship after the annulment (even if it was all for appearances sake). She could only feel helpless thinking about everything Henry could do to hurt her Kit. “Hey Anna, you okay?” Cathy asked.

“What?” Anna asked, tuning back in. “Yeah, yeah. I’m just worried for Kit. She’s gotten so much stronger since we all came back, and I don’t want Henry ruining that.” Anna growled, “If he hurts her, I’m going to kill him.”

“Not without me,” Anne slammed her fist down against the kitchen table. The rest of the queens chimed in their support.

A voice came from the other side of the room. “What about you guys?” Kit asked, her hair damp and tied up in a loose ponytail. “Henry’s going to come after all of you. You should worry about yourselves, not me.” Her voice was small, the trembling reminiscent of when she was first reincarnated among the others. It frustrated the queens to see how easily Henry had forced her back into the fearful mindset she had lived so long in. 

Jane stood up from the table and moved over to stand with Kit. “Kitty, of course we’re going to worry about you, we want you to be safe.” Kit gave Jane a weak smile and walked to the table. She sat next to Anna, subtly reaching her hand out for the German to hold. Without hesitation, Anna grabbed the hand and squeezed it tightly.

“Kit, I hate to ask this but… are you sure you saw Henry?” Aragon asked.

“Aragon!” Anne shouted, protective of her cousin.

The queen recoiled. “I’m sorry Anne, I have to be sure. Kit,” she turned to the small queen, “Look me in the eyes and tell me that you saw Henry.”

There was a moment of limbo where everyone held their breaths, watching as Kit struggled to raise her eyes. When she did, her eyes bore directly into Aragon’s. “I woke up and he was standing in front of my bed. It was him, Catherine. Henry was in my room. I wasn’t seeing things, I promise you. Henry was here.”

Aragon nodded, satisfied. “I believe you Kit.” The girl sighed in relief, dropping her eyes. “But that does pose the question. How is Henry back?”

Cathy immediately had an answer. “It shouldn’t be hard to believe. He must be back the same way we are. For some reason, we’re in the present, maybe to have a second chance or work through our trauma. Maybe the only way that’s possible is to face Henry.”

“I don’t like how right you sound,” Anne mumbled. “Well he’s still a dick now, that’s for sure.”

“We can’t let him win,” Anna stated coldly. Kit looked up at the German queen and furrowed her eyebrows. “I won’t let him hurt you Kit. Not again. Not if I have anything to say about it.”

Kit looked around the table at all the other queens, each voicing their support for her. “But this is my problem, you shouldn’t be forced to deal with anything I’ve caused.”

“We aren’t forced to deal with anything,” Cathy replied. “Kit, you’re a queen, and this life has taught us that us queens stick together. If Henry threatens you, he threatens all of us.” She gave Kit a reassuring smile from across the table.

Anne nodded her head in agreement. “Like hell we’ll let you deal with this alone. That bastard’s gonna have to take down five queens before he can get to you.” Her resolve was fiery and passionate and very much screamed Anne Boleyn.

“We’re all in this together,” Aragon offered.

“We have your back, Kit,” Jane added.

At the overwhelming support, Kit felt her heart start to warm. She had thought she was alone, that’s what Dereham and Mannox and Culpeper had kept whispering in her ears. But their voices were drowned out by those of the queens right in front of her, alive and willing to fight. “Mein Schatz, we’re all going to face this head on, together. We’re all here, by your side.”

Kit let a laugh escape her mouth. “Against all of us, does Henry stand a chance?”

“Not even a little bit,” Anne answered.

* * *

Later that night, Anne and Cathy were the only ones still awake. The two of them were down in the living room, sitting in comfortable silence on the couch and lounge chair respectively. Cathy was reading a book and Anne was mindlessly scrolling on her phone. “Hey Cathy, do you think we came on a little too strong?” Anne asked, staring across the room at the other queen.

Cathy looked up from her book and fiddled with her reading glasses. “Huh?”

“Just, we were all very forward with confronting Henry. Is that the right way to help Kitty?”

Exhaling, Cathy put down her book and took her reading glasses off, knowing this was going to be a long conversation. “I don’t think there’s any right way to deal with this. It’s not like you can wikihow how to deal with your reincarnated dead husband who’s come to exact his revenge on you.”

“Yo, what if that’s actually an article,” Anne gasped, frantically typing on her phone.

Rolling her eyes, Cathy hid a smirk. “That’s not the point Anne. Don’t spend your time worrying about how to handle this. Just make sure Kitty knows you’re in her corner, that’s the most important thing. She knows how much you love her.” The writer stood up from her chair and migrated over to Anne on the couch. She curled up against the cushions and smiled at Anne.

When Anne continued to stare at her phone screen, searching through wikihow, Cathy shook her head at the girl’s determination. Cathy grabbed the phone and turned it off, putting it face down on the coffee table. “Hey,” Anne frowned. It only took a moment before a tiny smile grew back on her face. “Okay, okay, you’re right. I just can’t help but worry that I’m not enough for her. She deserves people like Jane and Anna there for her, not the fuck up Anne Boleyn. I’m scared she’s gonna think I’m not there for her.”

Cathy reached her hand out and held Anne’s hand. “Anne Boleyn, you are not a fuck up. You’re a smart, talented, amazing woman, and Kit knows that. You’re her cousin, she would never think badly of you.”

Smirking, Anne leaned across the couch and pecked Cathy on the cheek. “Thanks Cathy, you’re the best.”

Blushing a bright red, Cathy waved Anne off. “I just believe in you Anne. So does Kit.”

Her confident persona restored, Anne bounced up off the couch. “You always know what to say Smarty Cathy.”

“I don’t think that rhymes as much as you think it does,” Cathy giggled in confusion.

“Damn,” Anne grumbled good naturedly, “Guess I’ll just have to workshop my pickup lines. See you in the morning Cathy!” she called before bounding off to her room in the attic.

Watching her go, the writer gave a small wave. “See you later Anne.”

Upstairs, Anne was silently congratulating her boldness. For so long she had been flirting with Cathy, and getting a reaction was her favorite reward. The giant grin plastered on her face could not be wiped off by anything. Even when she spotted the pristine white letter on her bed, Anne didn’t think much of it. She picked up the letter and opened it up, expecting a bill for one of her latest random purchases (had she paid for the furby yet?).

Instead, the letter was something far different. _Anne Boleyn_ , it started.

_I’m going to need your help if my plan’s going to work, and you’re the perfect woman for the job. Now here’s a list of things I’m going to need you to do. Oh, and if you don’t comply, I have plenty of eyes on your precious cousin. One step out of line and I’ll kill her._

_Your love,_

_Henry_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> READING GLASSES CATHY PARR RISES!  
> Trigger Warnings: Threats of violence, Henry VIII

A few days passed with all the queens waiting anxiously for the storm to hit, but life went on as normally as it had before Henry showed up. All the queens became hesitant, unsure of how to support each other when Henry’s reincarnation was uncharted territory. Eventually the tension became too much and Aragon approached Jane before breakfast one morning. “Jane, how would you like to go out for coffee?”

“What?” Jane furrowed her eyebrows. “But I have to make breakfast for the girls, it’s the only time we all still eat together.”

Wincing Aragon put a hand on the countertop. “Well yes, but… I was thinking that if you and I take Kitty out for coffee and muffins this morning -”

Jane caught on to what Aragon was saying. “We’ll be able to get her mind off of everything. You know what Catherine, I actually like that idea.”

Sighing in relief, Catherine moved away from the table and towards the stairs. “Will you finish making breakfast for the others if I go and wake up Kit?”

“One step ahead of you!” Jane called as she flipped some bacon already cooking. Turning around, Aragon made her way up to the second floor and across the way to Kit’s room. Kit was never the last to wake up, but she was never the first either. Chances were she would be shut in her room listening to music or watching television, waiting until Jane called her down for breakfast.

Knocking on the door, Aragon listened until she heard Kit’s voice. “Who is it?” came from within the room, muffled through the door.

“Aragon.”

A hum of confirmation came from Kit, and Aragon entered the room. “Is breakfast ready?” Kit asked, her phone in her hand as she turned off her music.

“About that,” Aragon started, then immediately regretted it when she saw the way Kit’s face dropped. “Jane and I wanted to take you out for coffee and muffins instead today. We thought it’d be nice to get out of the house a bit.”

Eyes lighting up, Kit scrambled off the bed and shot Aragon with the most precious smile on Earth. “Why’d you say it like it’s a bad thing, of course I’ll come with you two!” Exhaling, Aragon couldn’t help the grin that grew on her face at Kitty’s enthusiasm. Lately the girl had been so down on herself that seeing her back to even a sliver of her enthusiastic self was enough for Aragon to feel proud of herself for her coffee idea.

The two of them made their way down the stairs to where Jane was setting out plates for the other queens. Cathy was already at the table with a book in her hands and her reading glasses on. Anna was out on her morning run, sure to return later, and Anne was still in her room sleeping (like she always was). Glancing up, Cathy watched as the three other queens pulled on their shoes and got ready to leave. “Have fun out there you three,” she called, turning the page of her novel.

“Do you want us to bring you anything back?” Aragon asked her God-daughter.

Pondering the offer for a second, Cathy shrugged. “If they have hazelnut muffins, could you grab me one?”

“Sure,” Aragon replied. Jane chuckled, realizing how domestic the exchange was, but she didn’t complain. Kit tugged at her hand and looked pointedly at the door, anxious to get going. It was a change to see Kit so carefree, but it was obvious the girl was trying to push away her doubts. There was still the bit of hesitation before she grabbed Jane’s hand and the cringing when either of the queens spoke too loudly, but Kit was trying. Neither Jane nor Aragon were afraid of coddling Kit when she showed her strength in working to overcome her own problems. In fact, it was a very welcome sight for the queens who had begun to worry.

Jane was the one driving, with Aragon in the passenger seat and Kitty in the back. To a passerby they might’ve looked like a family, and although none of them voiced it, they all had the thought cross their minds. “Which shop are we going to?” Kitty asked, fiddling with her phone without turning it on.

“Coffee and Creme, it’s the bakery down the street,” Jane answered, making a left turn at the intersection.

Kit gasped. “Oh I love their chocolate chip muffins, they’re always so warm.”

Chuckling, Aragon added, “Well we can get you one when we’re there.”

“Really! Jane never lets me eat chocolate in the morning,” Kit leaned forward in her seat. Jane shot Aragon a subtle glare, causing the woman to mouth _sorry_ in response.

But it made Kitty happy, and that was the goal of the outing, so Jane relented. “Just this once, okay Kit? And don’t let us catch you telling Anne about this, or else she’ll never shut up about it.”

“My lips are sealed,” Kitty mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key.

As Jane pulled up to the shop, she groaned when she realized the only parking spot was on the other side of the street. “Alright, you girls hop out and go wait in line while I park. Catherine if you could order for me-”

“I know your order by heart,” Kit cut in, a proud smile on her face.

The two older queens felt smiles grow on their faces without any permission. “Well then, I think Kitty’s got it down pretty well,” Aragon shrugged.

Getting out of the car, Aragon poked her head back in. “I’ll be inside in just a moment, you go ahead with Kitty,” Jane assured.

“You be quick Seymour,” Aragon ordered in a faux-stern voice. Rolling her eyes goodnaturedly, Jane pulled away from the side of the shop and drove to the end of the street. Making a _legal_ u-turn, Jane found the open parking spot on the opposite side of the road and pulled into it. Getting out of the car, Jane made sure to lock the doors before moving to cross the street.

She froze, making eye contact with a man right next to the bakery. It was undeniably Henry, regardless of the different clothes he was wearing. He wasn’t moving, just watching Jane from where he stood. Cold fear gripped Jane’s heart as she was unable to move. Jane blinked multiple times, hoping it was only a trick of the light, but Henry remained where he stood. Taking a step forward, Jane was about to cross the street when a large bus passed in front of her.

The queen jumped back, jerking herself back into reality. Looking at her surroundings, Jane let the noises of the busy street filter back into her mind. Returning her gaze to where Henry was standing, Jane wasn’t surprised to see him gone. Why would he stick around longer than to make sure Jane knew he was watching? Henry was playing a psychological game, and Jane wouldn’t fall for it this time. Not when she had Kit and Catherine, Anna and Cathy and Anne to protect. 

The bell above the bakery door rang when Jane stepped in the shop, her entrance greeted with a “Welcome!” from the peppy barista. Shooting a smile to the barista, Jane made her way over to Kit and Aragon who were seated at a corner table. Kit was happily munching on a giant chocolate muffin with a frappuccino in front of her. Normally Jane would disapprove of all the sugar, but today was an exception. In front of Catherine was a simple cup of coffee with milk and some sugar.

And at the empty third seat for Jane was her order, exactly as she always got it. It consisted of one of the bakery’s shortbread cookies cut in the shape of a heart with cinnamon sprinkled over the top. There was a piping mug of chamomile tea resting next to it, the tea bag still in the drink, just as Jane always had it. Even though Jane had come to the bakery with Kitty multiple times before, it still warmed her heart that the teen remembered her order.

That warmth disappeared when Jane once again reminded herself of the encounter outside the bakery. Clearly, Henry was trying to mess with them, get to them mentally instead of physically. Withholding information from the queens could cause a lot of conflict but, Jane reasoned, it would cause more harm to tell them than to hide it. She couldn’t let the fear return to Kit’s eyes, the fear she and Aragon were trying so hard to ward off. Opening her mouth, Jane attempted to speak, but couldn’t get any words out.

“Jane, is there something on your mind?” Aragon asked, her grin warm and inviting.

There was no way Jane could ruin this picture perfect moment with Kit and Aragon by telling them what she had seen. Instead, Jane shook her head and sat down in the empty seat. “Not at all. Just glad we’re all here together.”

* * *

On the other side of town, Anna wasn’t on her morning jog through the park. Anyone who was used to seeing her wouldn’t suspect anything amiss, she had probably just cut her run short. But Anna would have to postpone her morning run for the time being because she had more important places to be. Instead of being out in the park, reveling in the sunlight, Anna was plotting. Plotting every possible way to kill Henry before he could even make another move on Kit or any of the queens.

She had no idea how she would do it, but Anna was going to track Henry down and get to him first. She couldn’t tell any of the other queens for fear they would disapprove or in case Henry was listening (there was so little privacy in the modern world), so Anna only had the companionship of her own mind. 

Her first order of business was signing up at a local boxing arena in order to get fighting experience. It wasn’t the most desirable sport, and Anna much preferred running and weightlifting - _non_ contact sports, thank you very much - but she was willing to do anything in order to increase her chances of winning a fight against Henry.

One of the first things her instructors taught her was that it wasn’t being the biggest or the strongest that made you the winner, it was your skill and endurance. Anna would never be stronger than Henry, that was a given, but if she trained enough, her hope was that she would be able to take him down when she found him. He was slow and fat and probably didn’t have any experience. Anna was young and lean and training, the odds were against him.

In the days since Kit’s confession, Anna had been training as hard and as often as she could, gearing up for a fight that could come at any time. It was on this particular morning when an instructor pulled her to the side. The woman had a high ponytail and must’ve been in her mid twenties, but her muscles were ripped and she clearly had experience. Unable to remember her name, Anna resorted to referring to the woman as “ _you_ ”, trying to get the conversation over so she could get back to training. “Why are you doing this?” the instructor asked simply, no lead up or extra commentary.

“What do you mean?”

The woman watched a bead of sweat drip down Anna’s forehead. “Why are you working so hard? You showed up less than a week ago and you’ve already advanced faster than anyone else here. So what’s your motivation?”

“I don’t have to tell you that,” Anna said defensively, flexing her hands in the tape wrapped around them.

The woman shrugged, unbothered. “True, you don’t. But sometimes sharing motivations makes it easier to see reason. To pace yourself. The best solution isn’t always working as hard as possible all the time.”

Anna scoffed and ignored the advice. “Yeah, well not all of us have time. If you’ll excuse me,” Anna pushed past the woman and moved back to her punching bag.

“Is it someone in your life?” The woman called. Anna stopped with her fist in the air, about to swing at the bag. “So it is,” the instructor continued, noticing Anna’s hesitation.

“Stop trying to get into my head, okay, it’s not gonna work,” Anna hissed.

The instructor rolled her tongue in her mouth before making a clicking sound. “Maybe you’re trying to protect someone you care about?” Once again, Anna hesitated and cursed herself when the woman’s eyes lit up. “You’re trying to be their night in shining armor.”

“You have no right to violate my privacy -”

“But why? What is threatening them that you feel the need to work so hard?” The woman kept pushing deeper and deeper, hitting all of Anna’s soft spots.

Clenching her fists, Anna swung at the punching bag and watched it go careening in the opposite direction. It wasn’t the most impressive punch, but the amount of anger behind it drained Anna. “Henry. His name is Henry and he has a lot of history with us.”

“Ex lover?”

Anna chuckled ruefully. “Yeah, something like that.” Breathing in deeply, Anna steadied the punching bag. “She’s dealing with a lot, and if I let him get to her again, I’m afraid she’ll break and it’ll be all my fault.”

“Again.” It wasn’t a question, more like an invitation to elaborate.

It wasn’t that Anna didn’t realize she was confiding in a stranger, it was more the comfort of knowing that she could say anything and the instructor would have no idea. “It was my fault the first time, it can’t be my fault the second time. I - I…”

“You love her too much to see her get hurt.”

“Yeah. Yeah I do.”

* * *

On a regular basis, Cathy tended to be pretty concerned about Anne. With her constant shenanigans and chaotic nature, it was hard not to be worried about what trouble the beheaded queen would get into next. But right now, Cathy wasn’t concerned because of what Anne was doing. No, she was concerned about what Anne _wasn’t_ doing. Ever since Anne had gone to her room after talking with Cathy a few nights back, she had been practically AWOL.

Sure, Anne came down to snag food, but then she would immediately disappear back into her room in the attic. Cathy had seen her come from Kit’s room a day earlier, but the strange part was that Kit had been downstairs with Jane. Anne wasn’t making any sounds, but she didn’t seem to be in any kind of distress or slump.

In conclusion, something was wrong with Anne Boleyn, but for the life of her, Cathy Parr could not figure it out. That’s why when Cathy heard someone leaving later that day, she decided to investigate, praying it was Anne. Sure enough, luck was on her side and Anne’s coat was missing from its hanger.

Noting that she was the only person in the house, Cathy realized she had free reign to satisfy her curiosity. Acknowledging how dangerous her curiosity could be, Cathy threw caution out the window and headed directly for Anne’s room. She needed something, any kind of clue as to why Anne was suddenly acting as if the rest of the queens were infected with some deadly disease. _Or maybe she’s the one infected_ , Cathy thought to herself. 

Stopping in front of Anne’s door, Cathy felt her conscience kick in. _Is it really okay to violate Anne’s privacy like this?_ Cathy knew the answer was no and if Anne found out, she’d be pissed, but in that moment Cathy knew she’d never again have this opportunity to - for lack of a better word - snoop.

Opening the door, Cathy made her way into the room. Clothes were strewn about mingled with trash and food crumbs from Anne’s meals. The bed was unmade (of course) and there was an assortment of random items (kazoos, teddy bears, a pair of heelys) in every corner. There was a nightstand next to Anne’s bed, the only thing untouched by all the chaos. Wading through the mass of junk on the floor until she stood in front of the desk, Cathy observed her prize.

It was a journal. That was the last thing Cathy expected Anne to have, but she picked it up anyway. Her reading glasses were resting on her head, so Cathy pulled them down and opened the book. The first page was a doodle (it was surprisingly intricate, Cathy noted) of… herself? The sketch was clearly Cathy, her arm above her head as she slept on the queens’ couch, her glasses askew. Blushing, Cathy read the caption of the picture. _Gold star for Cathy Parr, an angel I see_.

Frantically, flipping the page, Cathy tried to smother the erratic beating of her heart. She could squeal later about Anne’s drawing. The next page was another sketch, this time of Kitty with a water gun. Cathy remembered the incident over the summer when the queens were out having a water war. The teams were Cathy, Anne, and Anna versus Aragon, Jane, and Kitty. The fight had gotten down to the very end when Kit sprayed Anne, only for Anna to secure a win for her team by taking down Kit. The memory brought a warm feeling to Cathy’s chest, making her smile with a nostalgic fondness.

Flipping further into the book, Cathy came across some of the more recent entries. These ones didn’t make any sense. They were nonsense words like “ _Double_ ” and “ _Envelope_ ” and “ _Instructions_ ”. There was no rhyme or reason to any of the words, and if anything would have been coherent, Anne had scribbled it out with a black pen.

The final page that was written in made more sense. _He made it easy for me, a five step plan. I don’t want to help him or do anything he says but Kitty… I went into her room the other day. I was hoping I could find any cameras or wiretaps (I looked it up, they’re easy to get), but there were none. The only choice I have is following instructions. Especially those from the envelope._

Eyes widening as a chill overcame her body, Cathy opened the drawer of the nightstand. Inside was a single, white envelope with Anne’s name on it. Reaching for it, Cathy’s hand closed around the edge when the door downstairs opened with a loud _bang!_

Releasing the envelope, Cathy closed the drawer and practically sprinted out of Anne’s room. On her way downstairs, Cathy did her best to compose herself so to appear that she had not been snooping. Hanging her coat by the door was Anne, an unmarked bag in her hands. “Hi Anne,” Cathy said, eyeing the bag.

Unaware, Anne gave Cathy a smile that normally would make the girl swoon. “Hi Cathy,” she replied, walking over to the other queen. Anne lifted a hand and Cathy frowned in confusion, only to be answered as Anne carefully pushed the forgotten reading glasses up her nose where they had been slipping off.

“Are you going to hide from us again?” Cathy asked, channeling her passive aggressiveness.

Sighing Anne gave the other queen a forced smile. “I guess I am,” she said before disappearing back to her room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Anxiety, (very) brief violence, cursing, Henry VIII

Anne Boleyn had a plan. Or well, half a plan. Okay, maybe more like a fourth of a plan, but she was trying. There was no way she intended to help Henry tear her family apart, but there was only so much she could do. He had put her in an impossible position and Anne needed all her wits to figure a way out. 

At first, she had tried avoiding Kitty. If Anne didn’t hang around Kit, she wouldn’t have anything to give Henry. After her confrontation with Cathy yesterday, Anne had gone to her room to make sure everything was as it should be. Henry had demanded she write him a letter on everyone’s actions in the past week, so she had done as he asked, leaving the finished product outside her window. By isolating herself, Anne’s hope was that the letter wouldn’t provide him with his much needed information. But her behavior had become suspicious. Cathy was catching on, Anne knew that, so she had to try a different approach. It was a long shot, but Anne needed to start acting on her fourth of a plan.

“Hey Kit,” Anne poked her head into her cousin’s room. Kit glanced up from her book and smiled.

“Hey Annie, what’s up?” She put a bookmark in the page and set the book down, devoting her attention to Anne.

Inhaling through her nose, Anne pushed away any internal doubt. “Do you want to go on a walk with me? Through the park or something like that.”

Standing up Kit agreed. “Sure Anne. Two days in a row, this must be a record.”

Silently recalling what Kit was referring to, Anne remembered Kitty’s absence as well as Jane’s and Aragon’s. That must’ve been what she was referring to. Anne felt a pang of hurt run through her body because of how little she was involved in what was going on with her cousin. Usually they were attached at the hip, but because of Henry… “Great! Let’s go now.”

Anne ruffled Kit’s hair goodnaturedly as the two of them shared a grin. Without even acknowledging any of the other queens, the two of them beelined for the door. Praying no one would comment, Anne opened the door and ushered Kit outside. “Anne where are you taking -” she heard Cathy call, but Anne shut the door and blocked her voice out. 

“Did someone call your name?” Kit asked, taking a step towards the door.

“Nope,” Anne blocked her advance. “You’re probably just hearing things.”

Kit’s eyes narrowed slightly as she watched Anne, but she said nothing about her strange behavior. “Right…”

Attempting to cover up, Anne put on a dazzling smile. “Let’s get going, eh.”

* * *

Staring at the door, Cathy hadn’t moved from her spot. Anne had completely blown her off. For usually being the center of Anne’s attention, it was startling to Cathy. Not that she… _wanted_ Anne’s attention. But it didn’t feel good to be completely disregarded. She must have looked offended, because when Jane entered the room, she immediately stopped in front of Cathy. “Is something wrong?”

Turning away from the door, Cathy faced Jane. She debated what to tell her, before confessing, “Anne’s been acting weird. Not weird in her normal way. I asked her where she was going with Kit and she totally ignored me.”

Jane frowned. “She has been very withdrawn lately. Is there anything else?”

Cathy bit her tongue. She could tell Jane about Anne’s journal or… “No. Just that her personality did a full 180 and that’s what’s bothering me.”

“Yes, well Anne is unpredictable, maybe she’s planning something?”

Glancing around Jane at the door, Cathy flared her nostrils. “Yeah, maybe.”

Catching Cathy’s strange reaction, Jane was flooded with suspicion. There was something Cathy wasn’t sharing with her. Jane wouldn’t push, but filed away the thought for later. If Cathy was being secretive, that immediately made Jane trust her less, especially around Kit. “There’s certainly a lot of pressure on everyone. Especially with Henry popping up everywhere.”

Pausing, Cathy swiveled her head back to Jane. Her mouth opened slightly. “The only person who’s seen Henry was Kit. Unless…”

“No,” Jane quickly covered up. “I meant it… not literally?” Her excuse sounded more like a question than an answer. “It feels like he’s everywhere, is what I mean. No one else has seen him.”

If Jane was suspicious of Cathy, Cathy was doubly suspicious of her. Jane tended to be more collected than the others (bar Aragon), and seeing her suddenly stuttering was a red flag for Cathy. Something wasn’t right. Jane knew something like Cathy did, and she wasn’t sharing. Two could play that game.

The two women who had been helping each other only moments before were now standing in cold silence. They both regarded each other with narrowed eyes and upturned lips. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go write.”

“Of course,” Jane replied, the usual warmth in her gaze gone. “I wouldn’t want to keep you.” They shared a nod, the same thought on both their minds.

_The game is on._

* * *

“So Kit, what’ve you been up to lately?” Anne started the conversation, putting her hands into her pockets. 

The girl in question shrugged and kicked a rock on the sidewalk. “Not much. I started looking into taking online school.”

Smiling supportively, Anne gave her cousin her approval. “That’s really cool, Kit. What classes? Please don’t say something boring like maths.”

“Nah,” Kit shook her head. “Science and art. But mainly history.”

Scrunching her nose, Anne fumbled with her words momentarily. “Are you - uh, sure that’s the best option?”

“Yes,” Kit stated resolutely. “History’s always interested me. I want to know more, even if I’m a part of it. We missed so much Annie, aren’t you the least bit curious about how we got here?”

“I know how we got here -”

“You _know_ ,” Kit laughed, “what the internet and Hamilton have taught you. There’s more to it.”

“Eh,” Anne wasn’t particularly dedicated. “Why focus so much on history when you can live in the now? I’m tired of worrying what already happened. What’s done is done. We’re here for a second chance, we shouldn’t waste it.”

It was hard for Kit not to agree. “I can’t argue with that. We should use our second chances to do something we want to.”

Realizing she was being given a perfect opportunity, Anne gently prodded, “Speaking of second chances, why do you think Henry’s got one?” It was a good way for Anne to get the conversation started so she could press Kitty harder on the Henry topic.

“No.” Kit stopped in place. “I’m out on a nice walk with my cousin who’s been avoiding me for the past week. We are not going to talk about that -” she clenched her teeth in order not to curse, “terrible man. He’s not here right now. I’m not going to let him ruin a perfectly nice afternoon.”

Anne had to admire Kit’s resolve. The protective part of her was ready to defend Kitty at every corner, but the girl looked plenty capable of protecting herself. After the initial shock of Henry’s confrontation had faded, Kit had hardened herself. She had let him get to her once, and she wouldn’t let it happen again, even if it meant she had to cut off her fear. On the inside, Kit felt all sorts of emotions churning in her chest, the kind that would send her running to Jane normally. But she couldn’t do that. She would power through, and she would survive.

* * *

Anna had locked the door to her room as she practiced her boxing. A punching bag was makeshift hung from the ceiling as she practiced her stances and kicks. Her grunts were loud, a mix of exertion and frustration. She wasn’t getting the results she wanted and it was working her up. Punch after punch after kick after punch, the bag swung back and forth. Still, Anna was having trouble with the heavier weighted bags. If she couldn’t beat something that wasn’t fighting back, how could she match Henry?

A knock came from the other side of her door followed by, “Can I come in?”

“One second,” Anna called. As fast as she could, Anna took down the punching bag and slid it into her closet, out of view. Wiping the sweat off her forehead, she attempted to appear cool and collected. Unlocking the door, she let Aragon in. 

Aragon’s eyes darted around the room as she walked in, sensing something off. She didn’t comment on it, electing to give Anna her privacy. But there was something she did need to talk about with her fellow divorcee. “Anna.”

“Catherine.”

Sighing, Aragon held her hands together. “I’ve noticed you’ve been out a lot lately. Or shut up in your room. I know how close you and Kitty are, and I don’t think you should be doing this.”

Feeling her defensive instincts kick in, Anna stepped forward. “What do you mean, ‘doing this’?”

Staying calm, Aragon stared Anna in the eyes. “I don’t know, and I don’t need to know. But you’ve disappeared and it’s not helping anyone. I know you care about Kit. She’s doing fine on her own, but we’re all worried about her. If she breaks, you’re the best person to help her. I know Jane or Anne might not feel that way, but I see the way you two act around each other.”

“That sounds vaguely like spying,” Anna commented, leaning against her wall.

“I suppose it does.” Aragon just seemed tired, drained. Anna felt bad, treating her so rudely. “I mean to say that she trusts you more than anyone else. Kit knows you in a way she doesn’t know any of us. She may trust Jane and Anne with everything, but you’re her best friend.” 

There was a twinge in Anna’s heart as she thought about Aragon’s words. She had barely seen Kit this past week, too busy with her own goals. But if Anna didn’t do this, she would be putting Kit in harm’s way. She could afford to lose some of Kit’s trust. She couldn’t afford to lose Kit. “You said she’s been doing fine on her own,” Anna stated bluntly. “She doesn’t need me.”

“Of course she needs you,” Aragon fired back.

Straightening up and stepping away from the wall, Anna tightened her fists. “Don’t treat Kit like a child. She may be young, but she’s not a baby, _Catherine_.”

The bags under Aragon’s eyes seemed to become even more pronounced when she looked down. “I don’t mean to baby her. I’m not trying to control anyone, but we need to stay unified. If Henry is coming for us, he’s going to come for our cracks. Pulling away from Kit isn’t going to help anyone, Anna.”

“Well that’s not your choice to make now, is it,” Anna refused to give in. Part of her hoped Henry would come and attack them. That way she would have her chance to take him down.

Murmuring, “One track mind,” Aragon started to make her way out of the room.

“What did you say?” Anna asked, trying to disguise the frustration building in her voice.

Her eyes boring straight through Anna, Aragon replied, “One track mind. Don’t focus so much on one thing that you block everything else out.” With that she exited the room and closed the door, leaving Anna alone.

“What does she know,” Anna consoled herself, going to the closet. She pulled the punching bag out, hanging it up once more. Even if Anna secretly understood what Aragon was telling her, she couldn’t take the time to listen. Anna wouldn’t allow herself to waste a second.

On the other side of the door, Aragon had sunk to the floor. She curled up in a ball and muffled her screaming. Yesterday, she had acted like she noticed nothing, being the happy companion Jane and Kitty had needed. But Aragon saw the nervousness behind each of Kit’s movements, especially when she struggled to tell the barista her order. She noticed Jane’s change in demeanor after parking the car. She was witnessing Anna pull away from the group and hurt herself in order to do whatever it is she thought she was doing. Aragon saw how suspicious Cathy had gotten of everyone, constantly watching and judging. She saw how Anne had lost her light and hidden from them all in some misguided attempt to protect her cousin.

The worst part of it all was that Aragon could watch on and do nothing. The others didn’t give her credit for her observations. Aragon wouldn’t push, that was a violation of respect towards the others, but God, did she want to. If she could just help them, _any one of them_.

A sob came out of her mouth as she curled into herself tighter.

* * *

Anne and Kit had reached a small children’s playground when they decided to stop walking. It was the middle of a school day and no one was around but the two of them. Kit was sitting on one of the swings while Anne stood at the top of the play structure. It was a bit of an odd picture, both of them being far too big for the miniaturized playthings, but neither of them mentioned it. “I missed this,” Kit spoke up.

“Missed what?” Anne smiled down at her cousin, rocking back and forth on her feet.

“You and me,” Kit explained. “I know it’s only been a week, but you disappeared and I started thinking maybe it was my fault or -”

“No!” Anne quickly assured her. “It’s never your fault Kitty.”

“Then why were you avoiding me?” Kit stood up off the swing and walked until she was under Anne. She tilted her head up and reached a hand out. Grabbing her cousin, Anne helped to hoist her onto the structure.

“I wasn’t avoiding you.”

Frowning, Kit pushed, “Then what were you doing?”

“I…” when Anne couldn’t find an excuse, she admitted, “Okay, I was avoiding you.”

Hurt flashed across Kit’s face, but she stifled it. Best not to dwell on feelings if she could avoid them. “Why would you avoid me?”

There was no way Anne could explain it to Kit without telling her everything. “It’s… complicated.

“Perhaps I could help explain.” The two cousins whipped around at the familiar voice, bodies freezing when they saw him. Henry was standing on the other side of the playground, his smirk just as sickening as Kit remembered. “It’s not as complicated as you make it sound, Dear Anne.”

“Get the _fuck_ away from us,” Anne ordered, stepping in front of Kit.

Henry pretended to look offended. “But I thought you would love to see me after agreeing to help me. Your letter was very insightful.”

Holding back her fear, Kit questioned, “What’s he talking about Anne?”

“It’s not important,” Anne said, not taking her eyes off Henry.

“It actually is quite important,” Henry contradicted Anne, approaching the two. Anne and Kit started to take steps back off the structure. “Without your insight I wouldn’t be able to see how well things are going. You’re all so predictable,” he spit out the last part.

Eyes widening in betrayal, Kit started to step away from Anne. “You’re _helping_ him?”

“I would never help him,” Anne growled.

“But you are,” Henry’s tone was light but his eyes were threatening. “I even have your letter if you’d like sweet sweet Kitty to see it.” He pulled out Anne’s letter from the night before and waved it around like a prize.

The betrayal on Kit’s face was enough to break Anne. “Kit, you have to believe me, he’s lying.”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” Kit’s eyes flicked between the two of them. “Did you bring me here so he could find me?”

“Of course not!” Anne shouted, distress building in her stomach. There was the fear building that Kit wouldn’t believe her, and she couldn’t afford that. Anne had a plan. She wouldn’t let Henry change the game before she got her turn. “There’s a lot going on that you don’t understand, Kit.”

“Because you never tell me anything,” Kit shot back, her voice icy. 

While the cousins argued, Henry had come closer “I can’t stay much longer,” Henry brought the cousins’ attention back to him. He was now far too close for comfort, his terrible stench engulfing the two girls. “But you can have a little souvenir before I go.” 

And then he pulled out a knife and stabbed Kit.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Blood, descriptions of stab wounds, general anxiety

Catherine of Aragon rarely broke down. She didn’t consider herself to be the strongest of the group nor the weakest, but she was good at staying composed. She had to, for the sake of the others. So even after her short breakdown outside of Anna’s room, she calmed herself and made a decision. Even if the other queens didn’t notice her, didn’t think of her, she would be there for them. She would hold everything together as best she could.

The other queens never stopped seeing her as the imposing figurehead who still held resentment towards Anne and Henry. Perhaps that was just her way of coping. Aragon never truly held any ill will towards Anne or Henry in the past. Now that Henry was threatening them however… It was all too much. Aragon had stood against him for twenty-four years, she could do it again. Although this time she had five other women to worry about, not just herself and her daughter. It would be hard but Aragon was willing to do it. To be the rock they all needed. “Catherine?” a voice broke her out of her thoughts.

Fading back into reality, Aragon watched Cathy standing in front of her door with a hand up. The woman seemed ready to bolt at any minute with her shifting stance. “Cathy! Come in,” Aragon urged.

Rocking on her feet, Cathy slowly made her way into the room, closing the door behind her. “Can I talk to you about something?”

“You can always talk to me,” Aragon tried to keep her voice neutral. She hoped Cathy would tell her about what was causing her to be so suspicious of everyone - especially Jane. There had been an unspoken tension between the two of them all day and it was driving Aragon crazy.

Tapping her foot, Cathy stared at the floor for a minute. Aragon waited patiently, waiting for Cathy to find the courage to speak up. “Everyone is lying.”

“What?” Aragon couldn’t help the crease in her forehead. “Why would we be lying?”

“Well, not you - I don’t think,” Cathy shot her godmother a tired, suspicious glare. “But… okay -” her voice picked up as she started ranting, “Kit hasn’t been telling us the full truth. She’s hiding how hurt she is and it’s not helping her psych. And Anna has been missing almost all the time, so clearly she’s up to something.” Aragon swallowed, remembering her confrontation with the German woman earlier that day. “Jane’s been much more skittish lately, and I just _know_ she’s lying about something.” Part of Aragon wanted to push, but she told herself to sit still and listen. “And Anne… there’s something big going on with Anne and I’m afraid.”

Putting a hand on Cathy’s in order to calm her down, Aragon offered a smile. “You don’t have to be afraid of Anne. Unless she’s doing something stupid like usual. But Anne’s not going to hurt herself while she knows Kit’s in danger.”

“What if she has to?”

The question didn’t make any sense to Aragon. “Why would Anne have to hurt herself?”

“No,” Cathy corrected, “What if Anne had to do something bad that could hurt people. What if she didn’t have a choice?”

The hidden distress behind Cathy’s eyes was starting to worry Aragon. “Cathy, is there something you need to tell me?” She tried not to push too hard, but there was this pull in her chest telling her that she _had_ to know what Cathy was talking about.

“I’m scared for Anne. Or scared of her. I don’t know.” Cathy’s hands were shaking, even though she tried to cover it with her sleeves. 

Putting a hand on her goddaughter’s shoulder, Aragon strained a smile. “You don’t have to be scared of _Anne_ of all people, she’s harmless.”

Standing up, Cathy started pacing around Aragon’s room. “What if she’s not? I - I didn’t mean to go looking but I was the only one here and -” Her voice cut off and she turned to Aragon. “You have to help me figure this out.”

“First you have to tell me what _it_ is Cathy. I’m here to help you but,” Aragon faltered with her words, “I can’t help you unless you tell me what’s going on.”

Cathy stopped pacing. “I found Anne’s journal. At first I thought it wasn’t anything important but there were things in there. Saying she had to help him even though she didn’t want to. That she was afraid he was watching Kit. Catherine, I think you know who Anne’s talking about.”

The Spanish princess watched Cathy in disbelief. “Are you sure that’s what you read?”

“I’m not 100% sure, Anne got home before I could confirm anything, but with the way she’s been acting, it makes sense. Please Catherine, I need your help with this.”

Despite Cathy spilling her guts, Aragon couldn’t help but feel that she was holding something back. But she had promised she wouldn’t push her fellow queens, so she didn’t. “Of course I’ll help you Cathy, but you have to know what you’re doing. Are you going to confront Anne -”

“I tried,” Cathy cut in. “She’s completely shut me out. And now she’s out with Kit and I’m afraid something’s going to go wrong.”

“Hey,” Aragon attempted to calm her goddaughter down. “They’re on a walk together, something they’ve done hundreds of times. Kit and Anne aren’t in any danger.”

Nodding her head, Cathy slumped down against Aragon. “You’re right. But something’s going to go wrong sooner or later and Henry’s going to capitalize on it. We’re at a disadvantage and it’s so obvious! And we’re sitting around like fish in a barrel -”

“Calm down Cathy,” Aragon pulled the woman into a hug. She ran a hand through her hair. “If you stress yourself out, it’s only going to get worse. When was the last time you slept?”

“I dunno,” she whispered into her shoulder.

“Look, why don’t you get some sleep and we’ll talk about this later, okay?” Aragon laid her goddaughter down on her bed. She expected Cathy to complain, but instead the woman landed the pillow and passed out immediately. She must have been dealing with a lot of anxieties lately. Continuing to sit on her bed, Aragon stayed quiet and watched Cathy sleep. She wanted to help so badly, but there was a line that shouldn’t be crossed into the others’ privacy. Aragon would help Cathy, but only in order to keep her in check. That way she wouldn’t inadvertently tear the queens apart.

That way none of them would tear the queens apart.

* * *

Jane and Anna rarely talked. They weren’t unfriendly, they just rarely spent time alone together. Usually they would spend time together when Kit was around, but she was always the bridge between the two queens. That was something the both of them realized when they were alone in the kitchen together. “Hi,” Jane offered a smile and continued to copy a recipe off her phone and into a cookbook.

Anna stood in front of the food cabinets, searching for an energy bar or something similar. Doing everything she could to avoid eye contact, Anna pretended to be interested in the labels of the different food items. If Jane noticed, she didn’t comment on Anna’s behavior. Instead, she mumbled, “Haven’t seen you in a while. Everything alright?” Jane’s question seemed a little forced, as if she was trying to appear invested when really she was trapped in her own head.

Obviously, Anna was familiar with the question. She was familiar with the half baked concern and how to deal with it. “M’fine. Just getting some food.”

Jane hummed in response and the two of them went back to their silence. “Do you know where Kit is?” Anna asked, glancing around the room. She hadn’t seen her friend all day, but that was probably because she had been shut up in her room.

“She’s been out for a walk with Anne for the last couple hours, why?”

“No reason,” Anna grabbed a bar and made her way out of the kitchen.

“You’ve been missing a lot lately,” Jane offhandedly said without turning to look at Anna.

Stopping in her tracks, Anna furrowed her eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“Anna, we notice you, you’re not invisible to us,” Jane stopped writing in her book. She turned around to face Anna. “Kit’s been noticing you’re gone too. You’ve been missing a lot this last week. I just wish you wouldn’t isolate yourself.”

Clenching her fists, Anna felt a shiver run up her spine. She didn’t _want_ to isolate herself. But she had a job to protect her friend, and if that meant throwing away her pacifism and shutting herself away in preparation, she would do it. “Jane, you have to know this is for the best. Don’t question it.”

“You know,” Jane’s laugh sounded more like a choking sound, “I’ve been told that a lot of times. _Don’t question it. Accept it._ I’ve gotten very good at doing what I was told. But I’m not going to stand by quietly while you do something absolutely stupid. What in the world could be so important that you’re cutting off the people that need you?”

Before Anna could respond, a frantic knocking came from the front door. “I’ll get it,” Jane muttered, leaving the room to go answer the door. Anna followed behind, waiting for Jane to talk to whoever kept banging on their door. 

The loud knocking even brought Aragon out of her room to see what was going on. “Who in the world is knocking so loudly? Cathy’s finally asleep, I can’t have her waking up to this.” Anna chose to ignore Aragon’s concern for her goddaughter, noting how quickly she had shifted gears from helping Anna to helping Cathy.

Unlocking the door, Jane greeted, “Hello -” before she saw who was on the other side. A terrified Anne was leaning against the wall, her hands covered in blood. Her hair was matted with sweat and her eyes were bloodshot. 

“You’ve got to help us,” she pleaded. That’s when the others noticed that she wasn’t only leaning against the wall, she was supporting Kitty who was slumped on the wall. Kit’s eyes were closed, her breathing labored in her unconscious state. There was a knife wound in her side where blood was still trickling out, covering her shirt in its thick redness. The blood was all over her, making her appear like some BBC murder victim. There were even streaks of blood on her pale face vaguely in the shape of Anne’s handprints. 

Immediately, Aragon and Anna were picking up Kit, dragging her inside. “What the hell happened?” Anna demanded, ripping off her flannel to press it on Kit’s wound. 

“It - It was Henry,” Anne stuttered, her entire body shaking. “He showed up and stabbed her and - and oh God it’s all my fault!”

“Everything will be okay,” Aragon assured Anne, searching for a first aid kit.

Jane was biting her nails as she stared down at the lifeless girl she thought of so fondly. This wasn’t Kit. Not this pale, blank faced version. The real Kit was fine! She was up in her room, sleeping, and this was some cruel prank Anne was playing on her. It had to be.

“I knew it,” mumbled a voice from the stairs. The other queens looked up at Cathy who was staring blank faced at the cousins. “I knew something would go wrong.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Anxiety, self-loathing/self-desutructive tendencies, (very vague) allusions to sexual abuse, references of violence (stab wounds), attempted accidental self-harm, hospitals

The hospital was stark and white, the rhythmic beeping of machines the only sounds in the crowded room. Sitting in the pristine bed was Kit, her hair splayed out across the white pillows and her eyes shut peacefully. If it weren’t for the IV in her arm and the bandages on her side, she would’ve looked like she was sleeping. Around her bed in an almost cult-like circle were the five other queens, all with varying looks of concern.

Hunching over the bed was Aragon, her eyes closed as she most likely prayed for the safety of the girl in front of her, a last ditch effort in making sure she would be okay. Henry hadn’t been lying when he said he was coming for Kit first, and they had learned that the hard way. To Aragon’s side was Cathy, her eyes scanning each of the queens for any possible tells. Her eyes were red-rimmed, although it was impossible to tell if it was from unshed tears or sleep deprivation. 

On the other side of the bed was Jane, her eyes nervously darting from Kit to the other queens. Every time she would make eye contact with Cathy, her eyes narrowed at the suspicion on her friend’s face. She would be more concerned with Cathy’s paranoid behavior if Kit wasn’t lying half dead in the bed before them. Anne was at Jane’s side, her head in her hands. She was tuning out the rest of the world, mumbling unintelligible phrases to herself and periodically wiping tears and snot from her face. She was torn up over Henry’s attack, but none of the other queens had it in them to go and comfort her.

Standing at the foot of the bed was Anna, her eyes staring directly at Kit’s unmoving body. She was still, her mind silent and her body unwavering, just like Kit’s. Her arms were crossed subconsciously as her mind refused to believe what was in front of her. If she didn’t accept it, it wasn’t reality. _Right_?

The uncomfortable silence was broken by Cathy as she stared directly at Anne. “What happened?” she demanded. When Anne didn’t respond, Cathy softened her tone and glanced back at Kit. The poor girl was pale and silent, but her heart rate was steady going. “Anne,” she tried again. Despite how paranoid Cathy had become, she still had feelings for Anne, and those weren’t going away. “Please,” Cathy let her eyes bore into Anne’s head, hoping that would catch her attention.

Jane, Anna, and Aragon watched on in silent pity as Cathy tried to get Anne to talk. The beheaded queen wouldn’t acknowledge her, and continued with her mutterings. “Anne,” Cathy kept saying her name. “Anne, do you want to tell them about the journal, or do you want me to do it?”

Anne’s head shot up at those words, her eyes going wide. “You know?”

“I know enough,” Cathy confirmed, leaning forward. She was going to get her answers from Anne.

With Cathy’s inquisitive eyes and the other queens’ confused ones, Anne felt her anxiety grow. “It’s not what you think.”

“Then tell me what it is,” Cathy shot back. Jane and Aragon were watching on like they were in a tennis match, and Cathy was winning.

Swallowing thickly, Anne bowed her head and watched her hands. “The first night Kit saw Henry… he came to me. Not - in person,” she cleared up at the shocked faces of the others. “He said that he would kill her if I didn’t help him.”

“So you’re helping him?” Aragon asked.

Stumbling for words, Anne tried to say, “Yes, but no -”

Cathy cut her off, “You can’t say yes and no, it has to be one or the other.”

“I don’t want to help him,” Anne whispered, unable to face Cathy.

Huffing, Cathy sat back in her chair at Kit’s bedside. “Wanting and doing are two different things, Anne. I saw you going into her room when no one was there. What was that for?”

Playing with Kit’s bed sheets, Anne’s voice croaked, “I was trying to help her. Henry said he had eyes on her at all times, and I thought he might have cameras.”

“Henry can see our every move?” Jane asked, her back straightening.

“I don’t know,” Anne shrugged, her arms falling uselessly to her sides. “But he’s coming after Kit, and I’m not going to let him hurt her.”

It was impossible for Cathy not to admire Anne’s commitment to her cousin, but it still left a pit in her stomach. “I think you should leave,” Cathy stared at Anne.

The beheaded queen’s head rose so that she could see Cathy. “What?”

Sighing, the writer turned her eyes to Kit once again. “Right now, I don’t think you’re the best person to be here.”

Anne stood up. “But I’m her cousin.”

“And you’ve been helping the man who stabbed her.” All the other queens refused to watch the argument, finding anywhere but Anne and Cathy to look.

Mouth opening and closing like a fish, Anne gave up, defeated. She shot one last glance at her cousin before making her way out of the room. Jane was the only one who turned her head to watch the other girl go. “I’m going to see if she’s alright,” Jane mumbled, standing up and following after Anne. Cathy, Anna, and Aragon said nothing, but each of them felt most of the tension leave the room as soon as Anne was gone.

In the bed, Kit’s body shivered, and then went still again. Her heart rate had picked up momentarily, but it was so small that only Anna noticed it. Shutting her eyes tight, Anna breathed in deeply, hoping to ease the tightness in her chest. “I’m going to go too,” she told the other two, “Tell Kit I was here.”

Without another word, Anna was out of the room, boots making a light clacking sound against the tile floor. Cathy and Aragon watched her go, attention diverted from Kit. “You should go after her,” Aragon urged.

“And leave you alone with Kit?” Cathy frowned. “What if she wakes up?”

Aragon shrugged. “I can handle it. But go talk to Anna before she disappears.”  
Taking her godmother’s advice, Cathy stretched out of her stiff chair and left the room in pursuit of Anna. She would’ve liked to think her intentions were pure, but the writer knew better. She had been suspicious of Anna’s behavior ever since they discovered Henry was back, and this was the perfect opportunity to investigate her. Cathy was going to get her answers, or she would die trying.

Anne had her head down as she exited the hospital. It was cold outside, and not a lot of people were out and about. “Anne, hold on,” a voice called from behind her. Turning around, Anne exhaled as Jane made her way over to the sidewalk Anne was standing on.

Putting her hands in her pockets, Anne asked, “What do you want?”

“How are you doing?” Jane probed. Her voice was soft, but Anne wasn’t convinced it was genuine.

Waiting for her arms to warm up, Anne answered, “Not great. My cousin was stabbed by my bastard of an ex-husband and it’s all my fault.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“It is completely my fault.”

The two queens fell into an awkward silence. The self loathing was radiating off of Anne as she berated herself internally for what happened. If only she had been able to beat Henry first. If only she had acted quicker, Henry wouldn’t have hurt Kit. _If only, if only._

Picking up on Anne’s frustration, Jane offered, “Would you like to tell me the full story?”

Again, Anne was confused. “What do you mean, you heard it all in there.”

“There must be more,” Jane’s speech was patient and steady. “You wouldn’t have hesitated so much if there wasn’t more. You can tell me, Anne.”

They both played it off like neither of them had any ulterior motives, but silently they both understood. Anne needed to get everything off her chest, and Jane was desperate for any knowledge she could get on Henry’s motivations. They both needed each other, so they ignored the obvious warning signs. Anne started to spill everything. “From the moment Henry asked me to help him, I wasn’t going to do it. There’s no way I’m helping him and his plan.”

“Then why did you do it?” Jane questioned.

Groaning, Anne’s hands moved wildly as she tried to find something to do with them. “It was supposed to be a cover. I was going to be a double agent, almost. I was playing a long game. Get him to trust me and tell him lies so that I’m one step ahead of him. But he came out into the open and attacked us before I could even try to fight back.”

Nodding in understanding, Jane put a hand on Anne’s arm. “So there wasn’t much you could do?”

“There wasn’t anything I could do,” Anne spit at the ground. “And now Kit’s suffering because of me.”

“Anne -” Jane tried to reach out to her.

Pushing away the other queen, Anne started walking away, her pace faster than normal. “It’s my fault Jane. I can’t be around you unless you want to get hurt.”

Freezing in place, Jane watched as Anne stormed off to go let out some steam. Jane sighed and put her head in her hands, a pressure weighing down behind her eyes. How was any of this going to get better? Jane feared the answer was simply that it wasn’t. Things were going to get much, _much_ worse.

There were very few people in the hospital hallways, probably because Kit’s room was on the top floor. There were less patients around, and therefore less doctors than in the emergency rooms, and less visitors coming and going. Anna counted her blessings as she passed door after door, looking for an elevator or stairs to get her out of the building. It was like a maze and it was stressing Anna out.

She turned a corner and almost yelped when Cathy appeared right in front of her. “Cathy, what are you doing?” Anna asked, trying to push past her.

Cornering Anna, Cathy set her gaze. “You need to tell me what’s been going on with you.”

Panic set in on Anna, but she pushed it out in order to keep a cool exterior. “Nice try. Aragon’s already tried that, and I’d appreciate if you left me alone.”

“Yeah, well I’m not Aragon,” Cathy countered, not budging. “So are you going to continue being shifty after Anne’s meddling or are you going to tell me the truth?” The tension between them was unnatural. Neither queen was acting how they usually would - Cathy was far more aggressive than her typical observing self, and Anna was far less open than she often held herself. It only worked to heighten their nerves.

Attempting to push pass Cathy and failing, Anna groaned. “Have you ever heard of boundaries?”

“Boundaries are irrelevant at a time like this,” Cathy shot back. “If Henry is watching us, then it’s stupid to be infighting and keeping secrets. So tell me what you’re hiding.” Anna didn’t miss the feral glint in the back of Cathy’s eyes. The queen was driving herself crazy with paranoia and her lack of knowledge. She needed to know everything, and if that meant forcing it out of Anna, she would.

With one final look at freedom, Anna gave up and leaned against the wall. “I’m going to find Henry first.” At Cathy’s blank stare, Anna elaborated. “I’m sick and tired of watching him hurt people. I did nothing in our first life, and I can’t - I can’t sit idly by again Cathy, I can’t.”

Narrowing her eyebrows, Cathy wasn’t completely convinced. “So why are you pulling away from us? How could that possibly help anyone but Henry?”

“Because,” Anna reasoned, “it’s the only way I’ll be able to beat him. If I focus on getting stronger, if I focus on _finding him_ , it’ll pay off.”

“I always thought you were a pacifist,” Cathy commented, crossing her arms.

Cringing, Anna’s eyes darted to the ground before rising again. “I am - I was,” she lacked confidence in her words, but spoke them anyway. “Someone has to protect us. Someone has to make sure that he won’t hurt us again, and if that person has to be me, then so be it.”

With hidden concern, Cathy muttered, “You do realize how self destructive that is?”

“I realize that it’s what needs to be done. Now if you’ll excuse me,” Anna pushed past Cathy. This time, the writer let her go. Her curiosity was satisfied, but she wasn’t sure it had done her any good. If anything, it had only added more problems. Anna was refusing to work with the group, Anne was working with Henry, Jane was lying, Aragon didn’t want to get involved, Kit was in the hospital - It was all so much. Cathy closed her eyes and sunk to the floor.

The next thing she knew, the writer was passed out on the floor, exhaustion finally taking over her body. 

The room felt a lot less stifling when it was only Aragon and Kit. The unconscious girl made surprisingly good company, her soft presence helping to ease Aragon’s anxieties, despite how ridiculous it seemed. By any means, seeing the beheaded queen unconscious because of a stab wound should have stressed Aragon out further, but it didn’t. 

“Why is everything falling apart?” Aragon whispered to Kit, knowing full well the girl wouldn’t respond. She listened to the silence, taking that as an answer. “I think it’s because we’re all so scared. We’re acting like we did after first waking up here. We keep getting hit where it hurts the most and… that’s how Henry will win, isn’t it?”

Instead of a proper response, the only sound Kit made was a groan, followed by silence. “I hope you’re okay Kitty, I know it must hurt,” Aragon put her head in her hands. “I can’t believe he would do this to you. He wasn’t always like this.” Aragon put a hand on Kit’s and rubbed her thumb over the back of Kit’s hand.

Kit mumbled in her passive state, but none of the words were coherent until, “Stop.”

Pulling away, Aragon sighed and hunched over next to Kit. “I’m sorry -”

Before she could continue, Kit’s voice rose, “Not again, not again.”

“Kit?” The girl’s strange behavior was starting to worry Aragon.

Rolling around in the bed, Kit shook her head repeatedly. “Not there, get away, get away.” Her voice was breaking, her face scrunching up.

Making a split second decision, Aragon hopped out of her chair and started to shake Kit awake. The doctor had told the queens not to wake Kit up, that they would have to wait until she came to on her own. But if something was wrong, Aragon wasn’t going to leave the girl trapped in her mind. 

It took quite a bit of shaking, but eventually Kit shot out of the bed, lurching forward. She let out a small scream of pain, hand moving to claw at her stab wound. Seeing Kit’s movement, Aragon grabbed Kit’s wrist to keep her from causing herself harm. “Ah!” Kit yelled, falling back against the hospital bed. Her eyes were dilated, but as she focused on Aragon, they shrunk in size. “Catherine?” she questioned.

“Hey Kit, it’s me,” Aragon smiled, releasing the girl’s hand.

Moaning in pain, Kit’s eyes drifted around the room. “Where am I? What happened?”

“You’re in the hospital, you were stabbed.”

And in that moment, Aragon could see all the memories rush back to Kit. She gasped and put a hand to her head, eyes dilating once again. “I… this isn’t good.”

“What, what isn’t good?” Aragon kneeled next to the bed.

Pulling Aragon closer to her, Kit stared into her eyes. “Henry’s been planning this the whole time.”

“Kit,” Aragon spoke calmly, “We’ve known that for a while -”

“No,” Kit cut her off, “Don’t you get it? Henry’s not the real enemy. _We’re_ the enemies. He’s getting us to fight each other. And we’re falling for it.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr, @musical-stan-first-human-later for my full masterpost of fics!


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